Sony Goes DRM-Free On Amazon
January 11, 2008 | by Christopher Nickson
Amazon will now offer music from Sony BMG without copy protection, making it the first place to have music from all four major labels DRM-free.
Digital rights management has been an increasing bone of contention for consumers and record labels over the last year. But last night Amazon announced that it will now be selling music from Sony BMG in a DRM-free MP3 format, according to a Reuters story.
That means Amazon’s digital music store will be the first retailer to sell music from all four major labels without copy protection, meaning they’ll be able to play on computers, music players and mobile phones.
Earlier this week, Sony joined other labels by going DRM-free on its own MusicPass site.
It’s an understandable move, given the sense of panic in the music business. CD sales dropped 15% last year, and digital sales haven’t made up that loss, leaving labels urgently casting around for ways to sell more music. Going DRM-free, they all hope, will buoy up sales.
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